Chapter 16 - Met With Kuina and Zoro

The next day at Isshin Dojo, I woke up with the same enthusiasm as before. After freshening up and putting on my training attire, I stepped out towards the training area. The morning sun rose with warm light, marking the beginning of a day full of potential and possibilities.

As I arrived at the training area, I saw other students already gathered and preparing for practice. They conversed with enthusiasm, sharing experiences and impressions from previous training sessions. I recognized a few faces that I had started to become familiar with, but there was one face that was still unfamiliar to me.

In the crowd, I noticed a girl with shoulder-length black hair, and she was quite tall for her age, around 147 cm, I estimated. Judging from her face, she appeared to be around 10 years old. She stood with a resolute posture and determined eyes. I assumed she was Kuina, but I didn't know what had caused her absence the day before.

Without hesitation, I approached her and greeted politely, "Hi, nice to meet you. My name is Coby. I'm a new student here. Sorry, I didn't see you yesterday. Are you also new?" I greeted Kuina, pretending not to recognize her, well, technically I had just met her in this world.

Kuina turned towards me, her sharp gaze sweeping over me. After a moment of observing my face, she smiled. "Yes, I'm new too," she replied calmly. "My name is Kuina. Nice to meet you."

I might have been deceived if I hadn't read the One Piece comics about this girl. How could she claim to be a new student so gracefully and calmly? I knew Kuina was the reigning champion at the Dojo, and with her abilities and talent, she had defeated every student at the Dojo.

I held back from rolling my eyes at what she said about being a new student as I tried to control my expression and take her words at face value, after waiting for a few moments.

Master Koshiro appeared before us with a sharp gaze. His voice resonated through the training space as he gave instructions for today's practice. He explained the basic techniques we needed to master and demonstrated them with agility and precision.

The practice began, and I trained with full enthusiasm. I exerted myself to follow Master Koshiro's instructions and improve my sword movements. However, I couldn't ignore Kuina who was nearby.

As we practiced together, I couldn't help but pay attention to Kuina's abilities and skills. Her sword movements were elegant and sharp, indicating an extraordinary talent in swordsmanship.

We exchanged glances and brief smiles as our movements harmonized in training. Although we hadn't spoken much to each other, there was a bond starting to form between us. It felt like we understood and supported each other on our journey to becoming better swordsmen.

After hours of training, we concluded the session with a sense of satisfaction and exhaustion. My body was sweating, and my muscles felt tired, but a feeling of contentment and happiness filled my heart.

After the training ended, the atmosphere at Isshin Dojo became calm. I sat on a bench near the dojo, calming my breath and experiencing the soothing effect after an intense training session.

However, the silence was suddenly disrupted by the sound of fast footsteps approaching, or more accurately, heading towards Kuina, who was not far from me. I turned towards the sound and was surprised to see a green-haired young boy slightly taller than me, around 7 or 8 years old, holding a wooden sword in each hand. But what was more striking was the wooden sword clenched in his mouth.

Without hesitation, the boy walked confidently towards Kuina. Kuina, who seemed unfazed, looked at the boy with calm and wisdom.

"Hey, Kuina. How are you?" Zoro greeted with a casual tone, although the wooden sword clenched in his mouth distorted his voice slightly.

Kuina responded with a smile, but I could sense sarcasm behind it. "Hi, Zoro. How can I help you?"

Zoro smiled challengingly, ignoring Kuina's sarcasm. "I've come here to challenge you to a sword duel. I want to see how far your skills have developed."

Kuina gracefully accepted the challenge. She stood upright, firmly gripping her wooden sword. "Alright, I accept your challenge. We'll see who excels in the art of swordsmanship."

I watched them both with excitement. The battle between Zoro and Kuina was bound to be a spectacular one, where both sides would showcase their extraordinary skills.

In an instant, Zoro and Kuina began launching their attacks. Their wooden swords clashed rapidly, creating resonating clangs in the air. Each of their movements was powerful, showcasing their respective sword techniques. Sharp and precise strikes unfolded between them, creating an incredible fighting scene.

Kuina displayed perfect sword speed and technique in evading Zoro's fierce and powerful attacks. She utilized her speed and agility to counter with her own strikes. Not to be outdone, Zoro showcased astonishing strength and endurance. He kept attacking with full force, leaving no opening for Kuina.

The battle raged on with intense intensity. I could feel their spirit and passion in every move. They were not only striving to win but also respecting and growing from this battle.

Finally, the battle reached its climax. Zoro and Kuina unleashed their final strikes with unstoppable power and bravery. Their swords clashed with a burst of energy filling the air. The moment felt like the calm before the storm.

And then, the battle came to an end. Zoro fell to the ground, all his wooden swords scattered, and his breath was heavy, realizing his defeat against Kuina once again. Frustration appeared on his face, but after a moment of frustration, a blazing determination flickered in his eyes as he vowed to train harder.

"I lost," Zoro admitted with frustration.

Kuina smiled mockingly, her voice sounding sarcastic as she said, "You're strong, Zoro." The smile on her face hinted at a slight satisfaction from her repeated victories over Zoro. I observed their interaction with curiosity, wondering what was happening between them.

Kuina then introduced me to Zoro. "This is our new student at Isshin Dojo."

Zoro simply nodded briefly without saying a word. He calmly went to a corner unnoticed by anyone around the dojo to continue his training. His strong hands tightly gripped the wooden sword, and his focus seemed unwavering.

I followed Zoro with Kenbunshoku Haki, impressed by his seriousness in training. Despite having just suffered a defeat from Kuina, he didn't let it crush his spirit. Instead, he seemed determined to continually improve his abilities.

Kuina approached me with a friendly smile on her face. "Zoro may appear silent, but don't be mistaken. He is a tough fighter with a strong resolve. Trust me, you can learn a lot from him."

I nodded, realizing that Zoro was a mysterious yet intriguing figure. I decided to take Kuina's advice seriously and pay attention to Zoro during training.

Days passed at Isshin Dojo, and I continued training alongside Kuina and Zoro. Each training session brought new challenges, and I saw rapid progress in my sword skills. I learned a lot from Ku

ina, whose expertise in swordsmanship was undeniable, and also from Zoro, whose dedication to training was inspiring.

Although Zoro remained silent and rarely spoke, I began to see another side of him. Behind his serious demeanor, there was a burning spirit and passion to become the best in the art of swordsmanship. Despite occasionally being frustrated by the defeats he faced, he never gave up. Each loss only fueled his determination to grow and evolve.